Friday, 8 May 2009

Almost two years ago .... from Maclean to Catharsis

On 18th of May 2007, the Commons passed Maclean's private members Bill exempting them from having to disclose their expenses. It was subsequently revised in the Lords and lost its place. I reproduce below the post I made at the time, when I was incandescent with anger. Today that anger has been replaced by a grim satisfaction that the process of cleansing is underway. We must be resolute, and see the process through. They will wriggle. They will squirm. They will use every power and stratagem at their disposal, every favour they're owed in the media, every crooked stinking trick they can think of to get the public off their backs. But let us remain clear - the Commons must be cleansed. Those MPs who have done nothing wrong have nothing to fear.

Let's see this through.

19th May 2007The filth at the heart of our democracy

Yesterday members of parliament confirmed why their self-given appellation of 'honourable' is a risible kick in the shin to anyone outside Parliament. Their reputation today has fallen lower than the foetid scum in the sewers beneath our feet. If I hear a single word out of a single one of these rank little turds today it will be a word too many.

They complain that the media fails to uphold respect for them, fails to uphold their dignity. Ah yes, like the dignity they displayed after awarding themselves another ten grand recently - when they stuffed their pockets and handbags with tens of thousands of pounds worth of free stamped envelopes in advance of restrictions limiting them to just six grand's worth a year. And then tried to block the facts of their gluttonous looting from the public.

That only 60% of the electorate turns out to vote for them they ascribe to 'apathy' or to problems with the voting system. Let me make it very clear for them; the reason sixteen million citizens don't vote is that they don't like you. They don't like your pompous posturing, your public virtue and private vice, your personal greed, your abuse of the position with which they have entrusted you, your smug piety, your casual mendacity or your elevation of Party and your avarice for office above the interests of your constituencies.

No amount of inane and destructive voting gimmicks will regain the democratic attachment of these lost sixteen millions; they will not be seduced by postal or internet voting, or polling booths in Tesco. They don't vote because they are angry, disenchanted and alienated by your contemptible behaviour.

Since 1979 we have seen millions of members of your parties walking away. Only 1.4% of the electorate are members of the three main parties today. Yet since 1979 you have dipped ever deeper in the public purse for your pay, pensions and allowances; you have distorted the democratic safeguard that was intended to recompense an ordinary man or woman for giving up their trade or profession whilst in Parliament to a system that strengthens incumbency.